A teacher has been accused of assaulting a child who chose not to stand for his class’s Pledge of Allegiance ceremony.
Stone Chaney, 11, said it was his decision to forego the patriotic gesture, often recited at the beginning of the day in American schools.
Similar protests have been made by professional American football and basketball players during the national anthem.
Stone was in his first week at East Middle School in Farmington Hills, Michigan, when he opted to remain seated during the flag allegiance.
"The teacher consultant comes up behind me and snatches me out of my chair violently," Stone told local TV. "I was so confused. I didn't know what was going on."
"I don't stand because I don't pledge to a flag," he said. "I pledge to God and family."
The next day, 8 September, Stone was reportedly shouted at by another teacher for the same reason.
The teacher accused of assaulting him has now been placed on administrative leave.
But Stone said he was left feeling unsafe at the school because he didn’t know “what they’re going to do next”.
His father, Brian Chaney, said Stone had been protesting flag allegiance for several years for civil rights reasons but it had not been a problem before.
He told the Washington Post: “What we see on the TVs, what’s going on in America, it just came to my living room. Tears are done. I’m mad now. We’re looking for accountability.”
In a statement, Farmington Public Schools, said: "The District fully supports the right of each student to participate or not in the daily Pledge.
“The teacher allegedly involved in the incident has been placed on administrative leave. At this time, the District cannot speculate about the outcome of the pending investigation."
In 1943, the Supreme Court ruled students can make their own decision over participating in the pledge.
